


MORNING. EXPRESS—EXTRA. 


The 


THE VAN BUREN JUGGLE. 











Of all the public men of our country we have 
ever given Martin Van Buren the lowest place in 
our esteem. He is one who owes his political em- 
inence and succes, not to any high quality of mind 
—not to any brave deeds—not to any generosity of 
character—not at all; but the source of his success 
has been cowardly non-committalism and subser- 
viency on the one side, and the use of party ma- 
chinery,and corruption on the other. His advice 
to ‘carry the South by falling in with the South, 
and the North party machinery,’’ lays bare his 
character. » [tis a mirrorin which he may be seen. 
He was the father of that powerful combination of 
corrupt politicians known as the ‘‘Albany Regen- 
ey,’’—a combination of political gamblers, who, 
having thesreat state of New-York in their hands, 
as a stake, with its immense patronage and power, 
could so-contrive, and did contrive, to shape the 
politics of the national administration for years, and 
to parcel out the offices of power and trust as would 
best accomplish their object, and repay their tools. 
Van Buren and ‘his immediate confidentjal asso- 
ciates were political gamblers, ffom th@beginning, 
and looked upon ‘and calculated upon idates 
and elections asthe: black-leg does the ca’ 
pack, andthe chances of the game. The *lkany 
Regency politicians, of which Mr. Van Buren was 
the head, have done more to corrupt the politics 
of this nation, than all other causes.combined. It 
was one of their number who first broached the 
doctrine that ‘‘to the victors belong the spoils. ”’ 

Working his way by the aid of the South, whose 
faithful ally he proved himseif,.and by the ‘‘party 
machinery’? of the Regency, he was in 1836 elec- 
ted President of the United States: He was nom- 
inated for the office in 1835, at Baltimore. In his 
letter accepting that nomination, he thus speaks of 
‘free soily’? i: ; 

“THE SLAVE. QUESTION MUST BE 
LEFT.,.TO. THiy CONTROL OF THE 
SLAVEHOLDING STATES THEMSELVES 
WITHOUT, MOLESTATION OR INTER- 
FERENCE; FROM ANY. QUARTER; foreign 
interference of every description, can only. be injuri- 
ous to. the slave, without, benefit to. any interest, 
and will not be ensured.to any section of our coun- 
try, and ANY INTERFERENCE COMING FROM THE NoN- 
SLAVEHOLDING PORTIONS OF OUR TERRITORY, IS CAL- 
CULATED: TO ENDANGER» THE PERPETUITY, AND, IF 
SANCTIONED, BY THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WOULD 
INEVITABLY OCCASION THE DISSOLUTION OF OUR HAP- 
py Unton.??)) 5 

During the canvass +he wrote several letters, all 
of which are as southern as could have been writ- 
tem by John C: Calhoun... Among others he wrote 
a letter to several gentlemen in Jackson, North 
Carolina. Speaking.of the constitutional power 
of Congress to abolish; slavery in the District of 


Columbia, he remarks: 


in the 





Windings and Turnings of Martin Van Buren. 





“J do not hesitate to give it to you as my delib- 
erate and well tiki) ie opinion, that there are. ob- 
jections to the exercise of this power, AGAINST THE 
WISHES OF THE SLAVEHOLDING STATES, as impera- 
tive in their nuture and obligations, in regulating 
the conduct of public men, as the most palpable 
want of constitutional power would be.*? 

Further on he adds, that if successful at the ap- 
proaching election, 

“fF must go into the Presidential Chair the in- 
Jlexible and uncompromising opponent of any at- 
tempt on the part of Congress to abolish Slavery in 
the District of Columbia, AGAINST THE WISHES OF 
THE SLAVEHOLDING STATES.’? 

And again, not satisfitd with the strength of 
these declarations on'that subject, Mr. Van Buren 
goes on further to say: 

“*T do believe that the abolition of slavery in the 
District of Columbia, against the wishes of the 
slaveholding States (assumina THAT CoNGRESS HAS 
THE PowrER TO EFFECT IT,) would violate the spirit 
of that great compromise of interests which lie at 
the basis of our social compoct; and I am thor- 
oughly convinced, that it could not be so done, 
WITHOUT IMMINENT PERIL, IF NOT CERTAIN» DES- 
TRUCTION TO THE Union or THe States. Viewing 
de matter in this light, rr 1s MY CLEAR AND SET- 

ZEB OPINION, THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
OUGHT TO ABSTAIN FROM DOING So, and that it is the 
sacred duty of those whom the people of the Uni- 
ted States entrust with the control of its action, so 
TO USE THE CONSTITUTIONAL POWER WITH WHICH 
THEY ARE INVESTED, TO PREVENT IT.”’ pe * 

Well, as we before said, ‘‘Free Soil?? Martin 
Van Buren was elected President in 1836; and in 
his inaugural message he gratuitously proclaimed 
to the world, that He WOULD VETO ANY BILL W HICH 
ConGRESS MIGHT PASS FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVE- 
RY IN THE District or CorumsBra. This threat of 
the veto in advance, was new. at that time, and 
even good Van Buren democrats rebelled against 
the Kingly mandate. William Leggett, an able 
writer, for many years assistant editor of the N. Y. 
Evening Post, thus expressed his opinions of the 
matter. 

“It would seem that we have elected Mr. Van 
Buren to the office of President, for the mere pur- 
pose that he may be the slavemaster in chief and a 
negro overseer. He pledged himself to exercise 
his veto power against anything which Congress 
might do toward the abolition of slavery for the 
next four years, without even pretending that it 
was beyond the constitutional competency of that 
body to act on the subject. This threatened use 
of the veto, by a man standing on the very thresh- 
hold of the executive office, is the most indecent 
abuse of power of which any American President 
was ever guilty.” 

_ After reading the above, no one can say that the 
Miller delusion exceeds in absurdity the. ferce 
played off at Buffalo, by which Martin Van Buren 





4 


TAYLOR PLATFORM. 


Khe Allison Letter. 





As much anxiety is felt to see the AL.ison let- 
ter, in which Gen. Taytor defines his position 
upon several matters of public intetest to which 
hie attention has been repeatedly called, we re- 
publish it. It will be seen that he is explicit 
upon the points embraced in his letter, and is 
in favor of the great cardinal principles of the 
Whig party. Upon the question of harbor and 


riyer improvement, he believes in carrying out | 


the wishes of the people as expressed through 
their representation, and consequently will not 
as Mr. Pork, has done,interpose the Veto power. 
nor discriminate between salt and fresh water im- 
provements: 

Baron Rover, April 22, 1848. 

Dear Sir: My opinions have recently been so 
often misconceived and misrepresented, that I 
deem it due to myself, if not to my friends, to 
make a brief exposition of them upon the topics 
to which you haye called my attention. 

I have consented to the use of my name as 
a candidate for the Presidency, I have frankly 
avowed my own distrust of my fitness for that 
high station; but having, at the solicitation of ’ 
many of my countrymen, taken my position as 
a candidate, I do not feel at liberty to surrender 
that position until my friends manifest a wish 
that I should retire from it. I will then most 
gladly do so. J have no private purposes to 
accomplish, no party projects to build up, no 
enemies to punish—nothing to serve but my 
country. 

I have been very often addressed by ‘etter, 
and my opinions have been asked upon almost 
every question that might occur to the writers 
as affecting the interests of their country or their 
party. I have not always responded to these in- 
quiries, for various reasons. 

I confess, while I have great cardinal \princi- 
ples which will regulate my political life, I am 
not’ sufficiently familiar with all the minute de- 
tails of political legislations to give selemn pledges 
to exert my influence, if I were President to 
carry out this or defeat that, measure... I have. 
no concealment.. I hold no opinion which I 
would not readily proclaim to my assembled 
countrymen; but crude impressions upon matters 
of policy, which may be right today and wrong 
tomorrow, are, perhaps, not the best test of fit- 
ness for Office. One who cannot be trusted with- 
ont pledges cannot be confided in merely on ac- 
count of them 
_ I will proceed however, now to respond to your 
inquiries. . 

First—\ reiterate what I have so often said— 
IT am a Whig, but not an ultra Whig. If elec- 
ted I would not be the mere President of a party. 
I would endeavor to act independent of party dom-. 
ination. I should feel bound to administer the 
Government untrammelled by party schemes. 

Second-~The veto power. The power given 
by the constitution to the Executive, to interpose 
his veto, is a high conservative power, but in my 
opinion, should never be exercised except in cases 
of clear violation of the constitution, or manifest 
haste and want of consideration by congress. In- 


| 


“yt 


err es 
io 


THO? 
deed, I have thought. that, for. many years past. 
the known ;opinions and, wishes of the Executive, 
have exercised undue and injurious influence upon 
the legislative department of the Government; 
and for this cause I have thought our system was 
in danger of undergoing a great change from its 
true theory. The personal opinions of the indi- 
vidual who. may happen to occupy the Executive 
chair, ought not to control the action of Congress 
upon questions of domestic policy; nor ought his 
objections to be interposed where questions of 
constitutional power have been settled by the de- 
partments of government and acquiesced in by the 
people. 1) ARI apt 

Third-—-Upon the subjects of the tariff, the cur- 
rency, the improvement. of our great highways, 
rivers, lakes, and harbors, the will of the people, 
as expressed through their Representatives in Con- 
gress, ought to be respected and carried out by the 
iixecutive. “eed att ee 

Fourth--The Mexican wat. gp) sincerely rejoice 
at the prospect of peace...‘ My"ffe has been devo- 


ted to arms, yet I look upon war, at all times and 


under all circuinstances, as.a arin calamity, to 
be avoided if compatible with national honor. The 
principle of our Government as well as its true 
policy is opposed to the subjugation of other na- 
tions and the dismemberment of other countries by 
conquest. . In the language of the great Waashing- 
ton, ‘*Why should we quit our own to stand on 
foreign ground?” Inthe Mexican war our na- 
tional honor has been vindicated, amply vindicated, 
and in dictating terms of ‘peace, we “may well 
afford to be forbearing and eyen magnanimous to 
our fallen foe. ge pete a aes: ca 

These are my opinions upon the subjects refer- 
red to by you; and any reports: or ‘publications, 
written or verbal, from any source, differing in any 
essential particnlar from what is here written, are 
unauthorized and untrue. Gere te . 

I do not know that I shall again write upon the 
“subject of national politics. I shall ‘engagein no 
schemes, no. combinations, no intrigues. ‘If the 
American people have not confidence in me, they 
ought not to give me their suffrages: If they do 
not, you know me well enough to believe me when 
1 declare I shall be content. I am ‘too old a sol- 
dier to murmur against so high authority. _ 4 


ty Ze TAYLO 
To Capt. J. S. Arison, * eotts | 


Ba'ron Rover, (La.,) July 15,1848. * 

Sin:—I have had the honor to receive your.com- 
munication of June 10th, announcing ‘that the 
Whig Convention, which assembled at Philadel- 
phia onthe 7th.of that*month, and of which you 
were the presiding officer, has nominated me for 
the office of President of the United States. 

Looking to the composition of the Convention, 
and its numerous and patrotic constituency, I feel 
deeply grateful for the honor it has bestowed upon 
me, and for the distinguished confidence implied 
in my nomination by it to the highest office in the 
gift of the American people. 

I cordially accept that nomination, but with a 
sincere distrust of my fitness to fulfil the duties of 
an office which demands for its exercise the most 
exalted ability and patriotism, and which has been 
rendered illustrious by the greatest names in our 
history, But should the selection of the Whig 


a 


To the Hon. J.M. MorxBERAD, 


dey oer han + | 


Convention be confirmed. by the . people, I shall 
éndeavor to discharge the new duties then devol- 
ving — me as to meet the just expectations of 
my fellow citizens, and preserve undiminished the 
prosperity and reputation of our common country. 
[ haye the honor to:remain, 
With the highest respect. 
Your obedient servant, 
Z. TAYLOR. 


Greensboro, Guilford Co., North Carolina. 


.. MR-FILLMORE’S REPLY. 

i" Arsany; (N: Y.,) June 17, 1848. 
 §1r:—I have the honor to acknowledge the re- 
ceipt of your letter of the 10th inst., by which 1 am 
notified that at the late Whig Convention held at 
Philadelphia, Gen. Zacnary TayLor was nomi- 
nated for President; and myse!f for Vice President, 
and requesting my acceptance. 

The honor of being thus presented by the dis- 
tinguished representatives of the Whig party of 
the Union for thé second office in the gift of the 
people—an honor as unexpected as it was unsoli- 
cited—could not fail to awaken in a grateful heart 
emotions which, while they cannot be suppressed, 





find no appropriate language for utterance. 


Fully persuaded that the cause in which we are 
enlisted is the cause of our country, that our chief 


object is to secure its peace, preserve its honor, and 


advance its prosperity; and feeling, moreover, a 
confident assurance that, in Gen. Taylor, (whose 


‘namie isipresented for the first office,) I shall al- 


ways find a firm and consistent Whig, a safe guide 
and an honest man, I cannot hesitate to assume 


“any position which my friends may assign me. 


Distrustingy as 1 well may, my ability to dis- 
charge satisfactorily the duties of that high office, 
but feeling that, in case of my election, | may with 
safety repose upon the friendly aid of my fellow 


Whigs, and that efforts guided by honest inten-, 


tions will always be charitably judged, I accept the 


“Sjomiination so generously tendered; and [ do this 


the more cheerfully, as I am willing, for such a 


‘eause and with such ‘a man, to take my chances 
of sucéess or defeat as the electors, the final arbi- 


ters of our fate, shall in their wisdom, judge best 


for the interests of our common country. 


Please accept the assurance of my high regard 


“and esteem, and permit me to subscribe myself 


Your friend and fellow citizen, 
MILLARD FILLMORE. 
Hon. J. MorEwEAD, 


. Barnburner Opiniome? Gen. Taylor. 





At a Barnburner’s State. Convention held at” 


tica last February, at which John Van Buren 
was most conspicuous, the following resolution was 
unanimously adopted. We wish our readers 
would note the Janguage in which it is clothed : 


~ Resolved, That Gen Taylor by his masterly cor- 
~respondence, with the War Department, no less 


than by. his heroic conduct and indomitable cool- 
nes and courage on the field ofbattle, has shown 
himself to be, not. only a distinguished military 


> pehieftain, but,a man of great mental and moral 
- «power, and. whose life has given evidence of a 


strong head, an honest heart, and a republican 
simplicity of character. : 


it must be done by act of Congress. 


Hear that noble Statesman and true friend of 
Liberty, Thomas Corwin, of Ohio : 


Wasutnaton, 20th July, 1848. 

Dear Sim :—Your letter of the 14th inst. reach- 
ed me half an hour ago, and J avail myself of my 
earliest leisure moment, to reply. I have seen in 
papers from various parts of the country, contra- 
dictory conjectures as to the vote of this and that 
person, and amongst others myself. 

I have never doubted as to my duty as a voter, 
since the nomination was made. It is true I did 
not'wish Gen. Taylor. _I preferred others to him. 
But a Convention of Whigs was called, express-. 
ly for the purpose of agreeing upon one of the five 
or six persons named. I was in favor of that Con- 
vention, and as it was fairly conducted, I feel 
bound to sustain its nominee. Had the man been 
named that 1 wished, and the friends of Gen. Tay- 
lor had refused to sustain him, I am sure 1 should 
feel warranted in charging them with bad faith.— 
I cannot apply one rule to myself, and a diflerent 
one to others. Had the Convention named a man 
who was not a Whig, or who was infamous and 
unworthy, I should feel in that case, absolved 
from any obligation to support such a man. But 
Gen. Taylor does not fall within either of these 
elasses. He is a Whig. He is above suspicion 
or reproach in his personal character. He has 
proved himself worthy of every public trust confi. 
ded to him, and that I think is a reasonable guar- 
ranty that he will not fail in this. 1 know the 
non-slaveholding States object to Gen. Taylor, 
that he lives in a slave State and owns slaves.— 
Did not Mr, Clay live in a slave State? Was 
not Mr. Clay aslayeholder? Yet we are proud 
to vote for him, and I would do more and sacrifice 
more to place him in the Executive chair than I 
would for any manin America. And so would 
thousands of the purest and best men in the free 
States. Thus, this objection is not insuperable, 
as we have seen. The non-slaveholding states 
would ask this question : Will the man proposed, 
(whether he live in afree or slave State,) use his 
power for the extension of slavery to territory 
where it does not now exist? On this point what 
is Gen. Taylor’s power? No more, I answer, 
than yours, unless he should exert it through his 
veto. Willhe do this? I answer, according to 
his pledges he cannot. He has said in his letter 
to Captain Allison—‘‘ The personal opinions of the 
individual who may happen to occupy the Execu- 
tive chair, ought not to control the action of Con- 
gress upon questions of domestic policy, nor ought 
his objections to be interposed where questions of 
constitutional power have been settled by the va- 
rious departments of the government, and acqui- 
esced in by the people.”’ 

If slavery is extended any where in territories, 
Is it not a 
question of ‘* domestic policy ? Clearly it is.— 
Has it not been settled that Congress has the con- 
stitational power to prohibit slavery? The Mis- 
souri compromise, and various other similar exer- 
tions of Congress, recognized by every department 
of the government, answer this question in the af- 
firmative. All know that this has been ‘ acqui- 
esced in by the people.’? Thus, then, it is clear 
that the people, if they wish to restrict slavery to 
its present limits, have only to elect the proper 


6 


men to Congress, and their will will be law, un- 
controlled by, that. much abused veto power. In- 
deed, the doctrine.of Gen. Taylor on the subject 
of the veto, as laid down in the letter above quo- 
ted, (intended for publication and therefore to be 
considered a pledge) is in’ my judgment, of more 
value as a principle, in our system, than any 
which have been udyocated by the’ Whigs, since 
- the revolution. ‘This despotic power, by its use 
and abuse, has for the last few years, extended 
its tyranical grasp to every, even the minutest 
questions of legislation. It has ranged, uncon- 
trolled, over. our whole system of domestic policy, 
from the establishment of a Bank, down to the 
erection of v harbor at the mouth of a creek. 

Every act of the Congress of a free people, has 
thus been made to share with the judgment or ca- 
price of ONE MAN. Such a government is an 
accurate definition of a’ despotism. It is true, it 
only continues for four years in one hand, but it is 
none the less a despotism while it lasts, and if it is 
to. be longer tolerated, will be continual, the only. 
change being the transfer of absolute power, from 
the hands of one petty tyrant to his successor — 
An honest man, as Gen. Taylor is admitted to be, 
with such opinions and reasonable intelligence, 
which even his enemies concede, cannot make a | 
bad or dangerous President. I have been asked— 
how can you, who denounced the Mexican war, 
vote forits hero? My answer is, to me, plain and 
obvious : Gen. Taylor was an officer of the regu- 
lararmy, He took his commission wken a youth: 
He contracted to fight when and where his coun- 
try called, and to obey the orders of his superiors 
in command. ‘The President was commander-in- 
chief. He ordered, Gen: Taylor obeyed. He 
acted as Scott and hundreds of others did. » It was,| 
and is the view of their duty, taken by all officers) 
of the army and navy. It is a very different ques- 
tion. with volunteers. The government requests— 
_ it does not, cannot. command—a citizen to volun- 
teer his services, in a foreign war. The govern- 
ment can compel the militia ‘* to repel invasion;’’ 
but it cannot force beyond the United States line, 
.asingle man, except he is in the regular army.— 
In a speech, for which I have ever been so much 
condemned, by men who never read it, I took this 
distinction. ‘It is too obvious to escape any one, 
who chooses to think. 

Tintended to say a word concerning Gen. Cass, 
but I have not the time, and need not tax'your pa- 
tience further. I will only add that in myjudgment 
his views of public policy are more pregnant with 
danger to the Republic, than those of any promi- 
nent politician ever yet promulgated in this coun- 
try—and if carried out, as I fear they would be, 
should he succeed, would be fatal to the happiness 
of the people, and end in the total subversion of 
our present form of free government. His wild 
schemes of wars, of conquest, and unbounded an- 
nexation of all neighboring countries, and all sorts 
of population, are frought with evils, in my judg- 
ment, quite too obvious to need ‘illustration, to say 
nothing of the reckless disregard of rights which 
they imply. That he entertains thes¢ notions sin- 
cerely (as I ain willing to admit,) only renders 
him the more dangerous. ‘If he were notin ear- 
nest. he would only be a demagogue, as might be 
expected, when such pretences have served the 
purposes of an election, to change (as he has re- 


cently on other subjects) his opinions. Between 
two such men I cannot hesitate. 1 know I differ 
with good men, and good Whigs, but I must obey 
my convictions of duty, ‘and cheerfully yield to 
them ‘the same right.’ “99%! 0 @8-O9nt tows gs 
Truly Pa ce a 
sek HO. CORWIN. 
J. M. Crements, Blooming Grove, la. 
Gen. Faylor’s First Letter. 
The following is among the earliest, if not the 
very first Letter which Gen. Taylor wrote in re- 


gard to the Presidency. And it contains this dis- . 


tinct and unequivocal avowal :—‘* lama Whig, 
and shall ever be devoted, in indwidual opinion, to 
the principles of that party.’ ‘This declaration is 
not contradicted, but fully confirmed, in several of 


his subsequent epistles, and by the current testi- — 


mony of a hundred living witnesses, Gen. Tay- 
lor ¢s a Whig, aud devoted to the principles of 
that party, , OP ag 

Wm. E. Russetx, to whom the letter is address- 
ed, is the editor of the New Lisbon (Ohio) Palla- 
dium, who publishes the letter in his own paper, 
as follows : ; 


HerapQuaRTERs, Army OF OccuPATION, 
Matamoras, July 21, 1246. 

Dear Sir ;—By yesterday’s mail I received 
your letter of the 19th June, and have given the 
subject to which it refers much. serious reflection 
and consideration. I feel very grateful to you, 
sir, and to my fellow citizens, who with, you have 
expressed the very flattering desire. to place my 
name in nomination for the Presideney ; but it be- 
comes me sincerely and frankly to acknowledge 


i you that for that office 1 haye. no aspirations. 


whatever. Although no politician, having always 
held myself aloof from the clamor of party politics, 
[am a Whig, and shall ever be devoted in individ- 
ual opinion to the,principles of that party. | 

Even the subject which you have a-your letter 
opened to me, were acceptable at any: time, I 
have not the §leisure to attend to it now;. the vigo- 
rous prosecution of the war with Mexico, so impor- 
tant to the interests of my country, demands eve- 
ry moment of my present time, and it is my.great 
desire to bring it to a speedy and honorable termi- 
nation. tat 4x4, ta ave 

With my best wishes for your health. and pros- 
perity, am sincerely yours. Z. TAYLOR, 

Wm. E. Russenr, Esq. Maj. Gen’l, U.S. A. 


John @. Adams for Gen. Taylor. 

Let the Abolition, Cass and ‘* Free Soil’’ press- 
es slander the Aieecter ‘of Gen. Taylor as they 
may, it gives us 
readers the views and opinions of- such. worthy 
minds as those of the venerated J. Q. Adams.— 
The following letter from the Hon. Charles Hud- 
son, (a man whose character is beyond the reach 
of suspicion even,) is the third that has appeared 
from members of Congress intimate with the great 
departed, in corroboration of the assertion which 
has been unjustly questioned. How mortified 
would the Sage of Quincy be, were he here -to 
witness the conduct of a son who has despised his 
counsels ! . * aot 





Wasuineton, July 26, 1848. 
Sir :—In answer to the inquiry contained in 
your favor of the 2ist inst., I have the honor to 


uch pleasure to lay before our © 





say, that hearing from many of our friends that 
Hon. John Q. Raaine was infavorof Gen. Tay- 
lor for the Presidency, I took occasion to introduce 
the subject of the candidacy in conversation with 
him, by asking him who the Whigs would run — 
His answer was Gen. Taylor. I expressed some 
dissatisfaction at such a nomination, and he re- 
plied—that he preferred him to any other southern 
man ; that he believed him to be the only man who 
could break down this corrupt administration, and 
close this miserable war; and would do more to 
curb the spirit of conquest, and check the spread 
slavery, than any man the Whigs could elect In 
another conversation with him on this subject, he 
expressed the same general views, and said that 
Gen. Taylor asa soldier, was bound to obey the 
orders of the President, and could not as an hon- 
orable man, resign his commission in time of war, 
when his country wanted his services.. These 
conversations were held with Mr. Adams some 
time in January, as near as I can recollect. 
Very respectfully, your ob’t serv’t, 
: CHARLES HUDSON. 

Joun W. Proctor, Esq. 


Gen. Taylor’s character as drawn by Gen. Persifer 
F. Smith, a leading Democrat of Louisiana. 


Gen. Taylor’s military exploits are not the cau- 
ses of his popularity ; they are only the occasions 
for the display of sound judgment, energy of cha- 
racter, | nd pure sense of justice, and inncor- 
ruptible sty. He has as much reputation for 
what he has written as for what he has done, be- 
eause even where the composition is not his own, 
the sentiments, motives and feelings are , and ev- 
erything he says, as everything he does, is mark- 
ed by the purity and loftiness of his own character. 

I have never heard of any one, however corrupt 
or-base himself, that, aftér five minutes conversa- 
tion with Gen. Taylor, has dared to propose or 
even hint at anything dishonest or mean. And 
no intercourse in the ordinary events of common 
life can give the true idea of the loftiness of his 
character. 1 remember you asked me at .the 
time he was put in command at Corpus Christi, 
whether he was equal. to the circumstances. I 
told you of his sound judgment and inexhaustible 
energy as I had learned them in Florida, but I did 
not then estimate properly the other high points of 
hischaracter. Inthe campaign on the Rio Grande, 
I saw him tried under all circumstances, and he 
always came out pure gold. .y 








Gen. Taylor's character as drawn by the celebrated 
~ Captain Braga of the US. Arn. 

The citizens of Mobile, on the 4th of July inst., 
caused a splendid sword to be presented to Cap- 
tain Bragg, of the United States Army, as an ex- 
pression of the high estimate of his gallantry and 
poos conduct on the bloody field of Buena Vista. 

he ceremony took place in the theatre, which 
was crowded with a fair audience. The presenta- 
tion speech was made by G. F. Lindsay, and in 
reply thereto Capt. Bragg said : 

For all the success which has attended me in 
pana a those duties, [in the battles of Mexico, | 
have been indebted to the confidence and kind- 
ness of my commander, and the gallantry and de- 
yotion of those who served under me. 


Passing by the incidents of Fort Brown and 
= 


of 


‘i 


4 


Monterey, to which you have so eloquently allu- 
ded, I may be pardoned for saying, in reference to 
the battle of Buena Vista, that the credit which 


thas been awarded me for the part performed by 


-by his troops, an 


my command on that occasion, has had. its origin 
in the disinterestedness and generosity of our old 
chief, who is ever inclined to bestow on others the 
honor justly due to himself. To Gen. Taylor, and 
to him alone, belongs all the glory of that achieve- 
ment. And I but express the universl opinion of 
those who have served under him, in saying that 
no other living man could have gained that victo- 
ry. So great was the confidence reposed in him 
d no other could have command- 
ed it, that his presence on any part of the field 
was sufficient not only to change despair into 
hope, but to give assurance of victory, and dispel 
all doubt of of ultimate triumph. 


Gen. Taylor’s character as drawn by Col. Jefferson” 
Davis, a Democratic Senator from Mississippi. 

Col. Jefferson Davis, who, from the connection 
existing, is not very likely to be influenced by oth- 
er than true and proper motives, is re presented by 
the New Orleans papers .as haying used the fol- 
lowing language concerning Gen. Taylor : 

After complimenting hs fellow companions 
from other States, he for a moment dwelt upon 
the virtues of the old hero who had led them all to 
victory, and to’ whom they looked up as children 
to.a parent, Col. Davis said that General ‘Taylor 
had shown himself the distinguished soldier of the 
age, yethe was equally remarkable for his kindness 
of heart and simplicity of his babits, his strong 
judgment and excellent sense. He alluded to that 
hour of the battle of Buena Vista, when the day 
seemed, if not lost, to be going against our arms, 
when Gen. ‘l'aylor, amidst the thickest of the 
iron hail, rode upon the plateau, and calmly sur- 
veyed the scene. Vast as were the consequences 
of that hour, he appeared to fear no danger, ex- 
pect no harm. ‘The excitement of the carnage 
over, the same. soul that could remain unmoved 
when his friends were falling like leaves around 
him, who could look unblanched upon the front 
of the thundering artillery, became the poor sol- 
diex’s most sympathising friend; and the eye, so 
stern in battle, was as mild as the tender-hearted 
matron’s. 


as drawn by the Hon. 
U.S. from Del. 
Senator Foot, of. 





Gen. Tayior's character 
John M. Clayton, Senalor of the 
The Hon. gentleman, (Mr. 
Mississippi,) als attacks Gon. Taylor on the. 
ground that he lacks qualifications. In justice, 
however, to his own noble heart, the Senator ad- 
mits that Gen. Taylor is a pure, honorable, high- 
minded, and patriotic man.. But he finds, fault 
with Gen. Taylor on account of what he suppo- 
ses to evince a want of great learning. He rea- 
sons from General Taylor’s confession that he was 
not a politician, that he is not competent for the 
Presidency. That is, [ think, his chief objection. 
The gentleman certainly did also find much fault 
with one ortwo of Gen. Taylor’s letters. 1 shall 
not deny that his letters, like those of other 
great military commanders, written in the hu 
of acamp, andona barrel, a box, or a drum-head; 
have not the beauty of finish and the rotundity of 
period which the gentleman s0 well knows how 


_ allie 


=” 


to give to his own letters. But for strong sense 
and appropriate language to convey it, no man 
can excel those of Taylor, in which he found it 
important to attend to the manner as well as the 
atter of his composition. We laugh at the sto- 
ry that Gen. Taylor cannot write his letters.— 
That from their enemies is a new tribute to their 
excellence! Gen. Cass is, we admit, a knowing 
and a learned man; but General Taylor is a 
wise man. J agree with the poet, that 
‘¢‘ Knowledge and wisdom far from being one, 
Have oft-times no connection. Knowledge dwells 
In heads replete with thought of other men— 
Wisdom in minds attentive to their own.’ 

Gen. Cass has great erudition, and has writien 
books. But in the essential qualities of wisdom, 
justice, integrity, humanity. and moral as well as 
physical courage, Taylor approaches nearer to the 
character of Washington than any man who has 
occupied the Presidential chair since hisday. And 
with regard to the champion of the gentleman 
from Connecticut, (Mr. Niles,) who has indulged 
himself ina sly fling at General Taylor, I will 
give my opinion with equal frankness. Mr. Van 
Buren is a cunning man, and it has often been ob- 
served, that no cunning man was ever yet a wise 
one. Exception is taken to Gen. Taylor’s qualifi- 
cations, because he has been compelled, in his 
country’s service, to pay more attention to the 
cartridge than the ballot box ; and in his letters 
has modestly expressed his diffidence of his abili- 
ty to discharge the duties of President of the Uni- 
ted States. But let me call the attention of the 
_Senate to what Gen. Washington said of himself 
in his inaugural address. He says to Congress : 

‘‘The magnitude and difficulty of the trust 
to which the voice of my country called me, being 
sufficient to awaken in the wisest and most expe- 
rienced of her citizens a distrustful scrutiny into 
his qualifications, could not but overwhelm with 
despondency one, who, in inheriting inferior en- 
dowments from nature, and unpractised in the du- 
ties of civil administration, ought to be peculiarly 
concious of his own deficiencies.’’ 

Taylor is the man of modern times who has 
rivalled this admirable modesty, and his friends 
so far from regarding it as a fault, view it as one 
of the brightest among the features which adorn 
his heroic character. 





General Taylor’s Brevity. 
Heap Quarters, ARMY or OccupaTion. 
Near Buena Vista, February 22, 1847. 
Sir: In reply to your note of this date, summo- 
ning me to surrender my forces at discretion, I beg 
leave to say that I decline acceding to your request. 
With high respect, I am, sir, 
Your obedient servant, 
. Z. TAYLOR, 
Major General U. 8S. Army, commanding. 
~Senor Gen. D. Anronto Lopez ne Santa Anna, 
Commander-in-Chief, La Encantada. 


‘the Florida campaigns, displayed the 


8 


General Taylor’s character as drawn by the Rev. 
Mr. Lamb, one of his Chaplains. 


At the conference of the, Congregational and 
Presbyterian ministers of Hillboro’ county, N. H., 
assembled on the 14th of June, the Rey. Mr. 
Lamb, who was formerly a chaplain in the army 
under Gen. Taylor, at Fort Jessup, said that the 
opening for him to do good in the army was through 


Gen. Taylor, and that through the General’s in- 


fluence a temperance society was formed, by 

means of which 600 drunkards were reformed ; 

that the General told him that it was all a sham 

for a man to pretend that_he could not stand the 

damps and heats of the South without spirituous 

liquors. Gen. T. was a total abstinence man; and. 
the only commanding officer who did not drill his 

troops on the Sabbath. Mr, Lamb also stated 

that Gen. 'T. attended his church. regularly, and 

used no profane language. . Mr. Lamb closed by 

saying that he was no politician, nordid he wish his 

remarks to be viewed ina political light ; he mere- 

ly made them to show the way for doing good by - 
tracts, by the temperance cause, and by the preach- 

ed word was opened by Gen. Taylor. 





General Taylor’s character as drawn by the Rev. 
Mr. Hart, pastor of the Congregational Charch, 
North Haven, Conn. ek Tas ee 
We have seen an officer, whose name was al- 


most unknown, who at the early age of eighteen 








tenant of infantry, who, in the war of 1 ind in- 
ies of 
heroic daring and soldierly science, which have 
since been matured to a perfect devolopment, ta~ ~ 
king the foremost positions among the Captains of 
this or any ether age. Braye in the hour of dan- 
ger, humane in the moment of victory, kind and 
courageous in the various scenes of his warrior-lile, 
he posseses the qualities which attract the atten- 
tion and demand the admiration of mankind. Plam~ 
almost to an excess, in his manners and costume, 
he still commands the homage and confidence of * 
his troops. iapressed with the sentiment of his. 
own invincibility, they never waver in the fiercest” 
conflicts, and under his guiding genius fresh te-~ ~ 
cruits bear to the battle field the cool courage and” 
unawed spirit of veterans. In the battles of Palo” 
Alto and Resaca de la Palma, along the blazing” 
lines of Monterey, and amid the bloody and terrific’ 
scenes of Buena Vista, he still displays the same - 
fruitfullness of resource and energy in action, 
which distinguished the great commander. His 
brilliant victories have been heralded through the 
land, and the name, .which nineteen months ago- 
was hardly known and hardly uttered, has been 
heard on every lip, and uttered with all the famil- 
iarity of a household word. | . 


entered the army of the United States ai lieu- 


